Chapter Thirty-Eight

Selina now alone moved to the closet found something appropriate for the evening's game. Sorting through her dresses she was disgusted to find a purple gown that looked like the black one she'd left at Wayne Manor. This was what Daggett had in mind no doubt. Selina pulled the dress out of the closet and crossed the floor to the bathroom. Leaving the dress on a chair she turned on the water and filled the tub feeling the need of a bath and now alone she would take advantage of the comfort of a hit bubble bath.

Pulling off her stalking and garters Selina tossed them on the char to wear again later she then pulled her dress off and slipped into the tub. Stretching out she rest her head on the ledge and closed her eyes. She soaked in the tub for a while and then got out and got dressed. Now ready for the evening ahead she moved into the bedroom took care of feeding the tiger cub before lying down on the bed and drifting off to sleep.

She woke to a harsh banging and glancing over at her alarm clock noted it was 6:30. "I'll be down in a minute," she called as she pulled herself off the bed. She blinked trying to figure out how she had managed to sleep over four hours. Looking at herself in the mirror Selina picked up a brush and fixed her hair before slipping on a pair of black heels. Steeling herself she stepped out into the hall bringing the tiger cub with her to feed it.

"You look perfect," Daggett said pleased taking in the purple gown with approval. He eyed the cub in her arms and smiled pleased to see the animal. She had accepted the gift this was good. When he reached out to touch Selina the cub hissed a swatted at his hand digging in its claws.  

"Sorry, she hungry I dosed off and its past time for her dinner," Selina explained hoping he'd not react poorly to the attack.

"It's all right. Are you feeling better now?" He asked.

"A little," she replied.

"Good, go take care of getting your pet's meal and then join me in the dining room."

Selina nodded and moved down the hall toward the kitchen. She nuzzled the small bundle in her arms and smiled, "Thanks girl, I owe you something extra tonight," she purred at the small tiger as she opened the fridge to make a bottle.

The cub cried softly seeing the bottle heat.

"Yes, dinner is coming," Selina whispered, as she pulled the bottle out of the pan and lowering it to the impatient animal. She fixed and heated a second bottle before closing up the fridge. Her hands full she headed for the dining room.

She took her seat next to Daggett and turned her attention to her pet. The cub swatted at her hair playing with the long dark strands amused. Once the cub was done with the first bottle Selina put her down on the floor to wander until Daggett had said his piece then she would finish feeding the energetic animal.

"When he gets here I expect you to behave. No game Selina what I ask I get is that understood?"

Selina nodded.

"Good, we will be spending most of the evening in the entertainment room, and then after Wayne leaves you and I will share a private celebration of today's news."

"Understood."

"Good girl pet," you're learning," Daggett said before sharp teeth bit into his ankle. Reaching down he picked up the cub by the scruff of the neck and glared.

"She just wants to play," Selina whispered concerned he might harm the innocent animal.

"Keep her away from me," Daggett snapped as he set the cub on Selina's lap.

"I'll do what I can," Selina replied. She scratched behind the cub's ears and picked up the other bottle to finish feeding her when the doorbell rang. One of the security staff answered the door.

"I hope I'm not too early," Bruce's voice drifted down the hall and the cub's ears twitched recognizing the sound.

"Easy girl it's just company," she whispered.

Daggett grinned amused. "Bring your pet dear," he said thinking it would be amusing to watch the cub pester Bruce.

"Okay," Selina said as she rose to her feet.

Daggett put his arm around her waist and lead her out of the room to meet their dinner guest.

"Bruce glad you could make it," Daggett said extending his other hand to shake.

"Daggett, sorry about being early," Bruce said as he shook the offered hand. He turned his focus to Selina and felt his lungs tighten and a flood of desire wash over him. She was clad in a purple gown that looked hauntingly familiar to something she had worn the night before. Despite his best effort he couldn't keep his eyes from wandering over her ivory skin undressing her mentally knowing there was nothing beneath and he wondered yet if Daggett knew it.

"Not a problem, we'll just sit and talk in the entertainment room until dinner is ready," Daggett said letting go of his rival's hand noting his perusal of the Selina. This was going to be fun indeed.

Bruce took Selina's left hand and kissed her knuckles. "Selina, you look lovely," he whispered. Bruce let her hand go and spotted the bundle in her arms. "What's that?" He asked feigning curiosity.

"This is my tiger cub. Daggett got her for me," Selina replied.

"Cute."

"Thanks she can be a bit if a handful."

"I'm sure," Bruce replied recalling the lion cubs fit after she left that morning.

Daggett turned and steered Selina in the direction of the entertainment room leaving Bruce to trail after them. His fingers sliding into the open back he encountered bare skin. A smile played across his lips amused he'd have little difficulty tormenting her if she tried to misbehave. "Kitten what are you wearing under this thing?" He murmured just loud enough for Bruce to hear him.

Selina blinked amazed he actually expected her to tell their houseguest she was wearing nothing underneath the gown. "Practically nothing," she purred in response so that Bruce heard what was supposed to be a private conversation.

Bruce glared at the offending hand, which had revealed her venerable state and imagined strangling its owner for touching his wife. Turning his focus from Daggett he concentrated instead on Selina. Enjoying the view from behind. The gown was appropriate of her it fit her figure perfectly hugging every curve and exposing ivory skin in all the right places leaving nothing to the imagination.

Bruce blinked as he spotted the addition to the gown her feet were clad in black silk stalkings that were held up by matching black garters. Which peeked out as she walked through the high side splits on the gown. He turned his attention away from her to the walls trying not to think of what he wanted to do to his wife. This night was going to be torture. That dress was temptation in its most brutal form and to not be able to touch her would be near maddening. To watch Daggett do so would only serve to frustrate him further.

Bruce watched as Selina sat down on the couch and Daggett sat down at her side pulling her into his lap. Daggett's left arm wrapped around her waist, while the left rested on her thigh caressing stalking clad legs.

Bruce moved into the room and sat down opposite them. He kept his focus at eye level trying not to think about the hands touching his wife. He had to stay focused. "So, what do you want to talk about Daggett?" Bruce asked. He noticed the hand on her thigh shift so that Daggett's fingertips played beneath the split of the own.

Selina seeing Bruce's temper slipped off a shoe and brushed her foot against his ankle, eyes pleading for him to calm down. She felt his foot move in response and noted the concern hidden in his brown eyes. She felt Daggett's arm around her waist move and watched amused as the warm bundle in her arms swatted at the offending hand.

Bruce grinned and tried not to laugh.

"We'll talk business after dinner Bruce. Selina can you put the cub down now?" Daggett asked.

Selina put the tiger cub down. The cat ran over to Bruce and leapt up into his lap. It then nipped at his fingers playfully and nosed his palm.

Bruce stared down at the small bundle unsure. "Hello?"  He said eyeing the animal with feigned puzzlement. "What does it want?"

"She wants you to pet her."

Bruce ran his fingers over the cat's head and watched as she lay down before her ears twitched and she jumped down. The small animal then pounced at Daggett's ankle.

"Selina, dear, perhaps you should find something for her to play with."

Bruce tapped his foot on the floor and the cub pounced on his foot attacking his shoe and playing with the laces. He entertained the young tiger for a little while and when he noted Daggett's hands move to make Selina more uncomfortable his foot stilled and the cub again turned its focus on the man upsetting her surrogate mother.

"Do you have any idea when you'll be getting married?" Bruce asked.

"I'd like to get married around Christmas, but Selina's fighting me on it," Daggett said.

"That's because this time of year depresses me," Selina said in explanation.

"When do you want to get married Selina?" Bruce asked.

"I'd want to get married in the autumn," she replied.

"Why the fall, my pet?" Daggett inquired.

"I love the colors of autumn. I'd want to get married outside in a park, nice quiet, private even."

"Well, I'm afraid private will be difficult to pull off love," Daggett said and he kissed her neck.

"I know, but its what I'd prefer."

"Are you feeling better Selina," Bruce inquired.

"Yes, I took a nap earlier and it seems to have helped."

One of the security men walked over to the couch and whispered in Daggett's ear briefly and then withdrew.

"I've just been informed our dinner is ready. Shall we?" Daggett questioned.

Bruce nodded and watched relieved as Selina slid her foot back into her shoe and stood up. The cub jumped up into his lap and Selina took the bundle of fur from him as Daggett stood up.

Daggett wrapped his arm around her waist and lead her from the room. Bruce got up and followed after them. As he stepped into the dining room he watched Daggett pull out her chair. Selina sat down and Daggett pushed the chair in and kissed her neck, before taking his seat at the head of the table.

Bruce took a seat opposite her and tried not to dwell on the repeated displays of possessiveness on his rival's part. A stalking clad foot brushed against his ankle once again to pacify him as he picked up his knife and fork and turned his attention to cutting up his steak.

He watched disgusted as Daggett made a show of cutting Selina's steak for her. She smiled as if pleased but Bruce saw the frustration under the surface from the lack of control. Daggett was trying to strip her of her independence, but his plan would soon backfire, the only thing he was doing was making her angry, and sooner or later she would retaliate it was only a question of when.

The three sat in an awkward silence eating their meals. After dinner they returned to the living room where Daggett once again pulled Selina into his lap. His arm wrapped around her waist; his hand caressing her abdomen. Bruce noted the touch, but paid it little mind, knowing Daggett's claim to Selina was false. Finding it ironic that his child maybe growing with in her right under Daggett's hand.

"Bruce, I hope that in the future we will be able to continue to do business," Daggett said.

"I don't foresee a problem with that, however you do understand my parents company is not for sale."

"Of course," Daggett replied calmly as his hand slid beneath Selina's gown.

Selina shifted in Daggett's lap to escape his wandering hands. Bruce's temper flared dangerously as his rival groped his wife.

"Daggett, I'll be back. I need to get her fed again before she has a chance to get cranky," Selina said.

Daggett's hands withdrew and he kissed her, his lips demanding entrance to hers. The nature of the kiss became intimate briefly before he broke it and said,  "Hurry back pet."

Selina withdrew from the room and Bruce was relieved. It's about time to get out of here, Bruce decided. "Daggett, could we finish this another night. I'm beat."

"Of course Bruce, give me a call and we'll set it up," Daggett said.

"Give Selina my apologies for running off so abruptly," Bruce said.

"I will."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"Any time, good night Bruce."

"Night," Bruce said and he left.

Selina came back from the kitchen and found Daggett sitting alone. "Where's Bruce?"

"He left."

"Oh."

"What do you see in the man, pet? He doesn't give a damn about you."

"He did once."

"He doesn't now."

"Neither do you. To you I'm just a doll to play with."

"You're wrong kitten. I do care what happens to you, that's why I'm doing this. I'm looking out for you. Trying to show you your weakness. What happened to the vengeful Catwoman? The woman who needed no one," Daggett said. He stood up and pulled her into his arms.

"She died one too many times, and learned the hard way revenge isn't as enjoyable as she thought."

"You went soft."

"No, I found my way," Selina replied shrugging out of his embrace.

"You got lost. The Catwoman I've heard about would never be seen with Mr. Wayne, he's too much of a boy scout for her taste. She was drawn to power like a moth to a flame. I'm your match Selina and deep down you know it," he whispered before he kissed her.

Selina stood still as a statue allowing the kiss because it was required, but when his hands moved to explore her body she pushed them away. "You should know me better Daggett. Anyone who killed or tried to kill the old Catwoman ended up dead. So, if I were you I'd be glad she's gone soft, as you put it," Selina said as she broke the kiss. "May I go? I'm tired."

"Fine. I wouldn't want you getting sick. Good night pet."

"Night," she whispered, before she withdrew down the hall to the safety of her room.

Once in the room she set down the young tiger before stepping out onto the terrace and closing the doors. She looked up to the night sky. The stars were hidden behind thick clouds. The wind shifted stirring up and a moment later it began to rain. Selina sat down in her chair and let the cool water wash her skin clean of Daggett's unwanted touch.

The purple gown clung to her skin more tightly. The rain soaked the spandex defining her figure completely but she paid it no mind. She was relieved to be free of her jailer. Selina sat in the cool night as the wind and rain embraced her completely beckoning her to leave her cage and roam the city once more. She did not move only sat and waited knowing that her husband would soon appear.    

Gloved hands replaced cool rain and she tuned to see Batman.  A smile curved her lips and she stood up glad to see him. Before she could say a word his lips met hers in a demanding kiss. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck, closing the distance between them completely. His mouth met with hers in a feverish need and he kissed her passionately changing the nature of the kiss to something more intimate in nature, as he tasted her mouth. His hands caressed wet skin through the soaked gown reclaiming his wife with his actions.

Selina broke the kiss breathless and his lips trailed down her neck to her shoulder his need of her uncontrollable. His brown eyes fell upon her face turning back to her lips and he froze. Angry purple blotches marred her ivory skin.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Selina."

"I'm fine."

"When did he do this?"

"After lunch."

"What happened?"

"Let it go love," she purred, feeling it best to keep the event to herself, based on Batman's temper. She kissed him lightly to turn his focus away from the bruises.

"What happened after I left tonight?"

"Nothing. He's not allowed to touch me once the public eye has lifted. Its part of our agreement."

"I'm sorry I left without a word."

"Don't be. I was relieved, because I could refuse him."

"Then I wish I'd left sooner, if only to free you of his unwelcome touch."

"His temper would have flared anew. He enjoys playing with us both. Playing one off the other, he gets off on the ability to control us. If he could have his way I'm sure he'd bed me with you watching."

"He won't get that close."

"I know. The game has changed."

Batman let her go and blinked. "You shouldn't be out here like this. I don't want you to get sick."

"I'm fine love, and soon enough we'll know what's at stake."

Batman kissed her again before saying, "you should rest now."

"I'll be fine. Good night and do not dwell too much upon the days events," she whispered and she kissed him again gently.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she said before moving into her room. She then changed into a nightgown and crawled into bed.

Batman watched as she fell into sleep, before withdrawing to go home. "Be safe," he whispered and then he melted back into the shadows.